So which contender should you plop down your hard earned money on? Which digital dj controller is going to give you the best performance in the long run? Here at dj tech tools we pride ourselves on being VERY impartial. We have no advertisers and do not answer to any manufacturers or software companies. In the end, be assured your going to get the straight scoop on how we honestly feel about every product that graces these pages. The Xponent vs VCI question does not have a black and white answer though. So to determine who deserves the “King of DJ Controllers” title , we put them both in the ring and let the facts decide for themselves.
Each round is worth one point and winner takes all!
Continue reading ‘Xponent VS. VCI-100′
This brand new video was produced by Australain DJs and podcasters GearWhores–Andre Cato and Charlie Maybe.
www.myspace.com/gearwhores
The market is flooded with all types of bags that may or may not work to carry your digital dj gear. Rather than gamble with $80, I turn it over to you, the readers, to share with others what your favorite dj back back has been. Please specify what gear you carry in it and where some one can buy it.To get us started, Here is one of my recommendation’s:
Continue reading ‘DJ back pack?’
I have no idea man, I just connect this funny looking cable to my computer and it works. Well my friend, that may be true, but its time to understand some basic facts about MIDI so you can use it to help you do crazy stuff like my custom VCI-100 midi mod.
Most of you may own a midi controller but few people actually know what MIDI really is. Lets boil away the excess technical fat and get down the meat of the matter. MIDI is a communication format sort of like an email. Each midi message has diffrent parts just like every email message has sender, receiver, Subject and body. So, each time you hit a key on your VCI-100, your sending a midi email to your computer. The VCI is the sender and the computer is the receiver.
Each midi email contains the following info:
Continue reading ‘organize your midi mail’
As a kid, my ultimate fears used to be about giant, purple polka-dotted monsters under the bed or accidentally showing up to school without pants on. Now that I am a big kid with big, expensive toys, my slumbers are interrupted by an entirely different kind of recurring nightmare: somebody stealing my DJ laptop. It’s safe to say the laptop has become like a baby; even with all the data safely backed up, you can’t help but worry about where it is at all times. Laptops have made DJing on the road for extended periods of time more feasible and significantly more fun. The only problem is that all this expensive gear has brought with it a host of new worries when traveling. To help ease the mind, I asked a few top DJs who travel extensively with laptops for tips or tricks they have learned to keep laptops secure and make traveling with digital gear as smooth as possible.
Continue reading ‘How to keep your laptop safe’
VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE**** 1/29/08
Editors note: It has recently come to light that the first run of VCI-100’s that were sent out had a completely different mapping layout than all the subsequent “Firmware V2″ VCi-100. You can find out which version you have by holding down both jog wheel buttons at the same time. If the jog wheel lights turn off and your pitch bend no longer works then you have the NEW firmware and my layout will NOT work with your VCi-100. Your new vci firmware is sending out completely different note values and they will result in NOTHING working as I designed. if you have the OLD firmware then by all means enjoy the layout bellow. Otherwise wait until march when you can get your hands on a VCI-100 that ships with these performance mods already installed
After 2 months of intense button pushing, code twisting and testing, I think its almost done. Here is the near final version of my programming for the VCI-100. In the coming months you will be able to get your hands on a limited edition set of plates (hopefully gold and black) that match this exclusive layout. What is different? Almost everything, but the general idea is to give you hands on immediate access to do really cool things without looking at a screen. This is the testing phase so only people with a Macintosh computer will be able to use the layout. Once the controls are finalized Vestax will make available a firmware update that will give the VCI all of this functionality without any extra programs.
So if you have a Macintosh follow the instructions bellow and PLEASE give me feedback here on this post.
If you have a WIN machine you can try out this patch for BOME Midi translator.
Continue reading ‘Ean Golden’s personal VCI-100 layout for Traktor’
Published by Ean Golden on November 9, 2007
in Uncategorized.
Thanks to all the people who have been sending us loads of great mail about dj tech tools and the videos on youtube.
Sometimes the posts here can get a bit technical and advanced so we want to go back to basics and do a series of videos on basic djing principles in the digital realm. What do you want to learn? Is there something that is really confusing you about your controller? Let your voice be heard and add your comment to this post.
-Dj Tech Tools
Here is a basic juggle routine I have been working on with my customized VCI-100. Its a free-form mash up of Rock the Bells and a classic Ray Charles song.
-Ean Golden
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